Combination pocket knife and pen



July 28, 1959 A. M. BAER COMBINATION POCKET KNIFE AND PEN Filed Nov. 1,195e A8 2" 11. Ab

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United States Patent Oilce 2,896,576 Patented July 28, 1959 KnifeAssociated Companies, Inc., New York, N.Y., a

corporation of Rhode Island Application November 1, 1956, Serial No.619,858

3 Claims. (Cl. 120-1) This invention relates to a combination pocketknife and pen.

It is an `object of my invention to provide a combined implement of thecharacter described, i.e., a pen-knife, which is compact, sturdy andreliable and is so arranged that with a minimum of parts'the knife andpen, and particularly the pen, are so located when in infolded conditionas neither to damage themselves nor a users pocket.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of thecharacter described which constitutes relatively few and `simple partsand is so arranged as to lend itself to mass production at low cost.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of thecharacter described wherein the connection between the pen and theimplement frame is such lthat the frame can be used as the shank of thepen to be grasped by -a user for writing.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of thecharacter described in which a fresh pen unit can be readily and simplysubstituted for an exhausted one.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of thecharacter described the construction of which is such that it can becomfortably held for writing purposes despite its comparatively smallsize when 'both the knife and pen are infolded.

Other `objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in features of construction,combinations yofelernents and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the Vcombination pocket knife and pen hereinafterdescribed and of which the scope of application will be indicated in theappended claims.

In the laccompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a pen-knife constructed in accordance with myinvention, the pen being outfolded and portions of the implement beingbroken away, better to illustrate certain details thereof;

Fig. 2 is a back edge View of the pen-knife with the pen outfolded;

Fig. 3 is a view `similar to Fig. l with the pen infolded and one of thecovers and lining plates removed in order to illustrate mountings forthe knife blade and pen;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the pen infolded; `and Fig.5 is an end view of the device showing the tang of the knife blade andthe tip of the pen.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral `shows acombined implement, i.e., a penknife, constructed in accordance with myinvention and including a frame which essentially constitutes a pair ofspaced lining plates 12, 14 held apart in spaced parallel relationshipby a thick narrow block 16 of resilient metal stock which isconventionally known to the art as a backspacer spring. The spacerspring is secured fand open positions.

to the two lining plates in -any suitable manner and preferably by apair of rivets 18, 20 which are located near the center of the pen-knifeso as to leave the ends 22, 24 thereof free for a purpose which will beapparent hereinafter. The'outer broad surfaces of the two lining platesare covered in a suitable conventional manner, as with scales 26 whichmay comprise sheet met-al supports shaped to match the lining plates`and provided with end holsters 28 and a depressed central portion thatis `drumtightly overlain by a thin plastic decorative sheeting 30. Theends of the sheet metal supports are provided with tongues (not shown)which are folded into pockets 31 provided therefor in the lining plates`in order to hold lthe scales in place.

It will be observed that by using a narrow back spring 16 locatedbetween a pair of lining plates and by disposing said springsubstantially at the longitudinal central axis of the elongated frame, Iprovide along the front edge of the device a compartment 32 and alongthe back edge a compartment 34, both said compartments extendinginwardly from their respective edges up to the spring and running thefull length of the pen-knife.

A standard knife blade 36 is located, when infolded, in the compartment32. Said knife blade includes the V usual cutting portion 38 having akeen edge 40 and terminating at one end in a flat tang `42 provided withan opening 44. The tang is disposed at one end of the compartment 32 andis held in pivoted relationship therein as by a rivet 46 having itsopposite ends located in holes (not shown) in the two lining plates. Theouter end `48 of the tang is curved to facilitate camming engagementwith the adjacent end 22 of the back spring. One side edge rS0 of thetang is straight and ilatly abuts the corresponding edge of the backspring when the knife is infolded. The opposite edge 52 of the tanglikewise is straight and flatly abuts against said edge of the backspring when the knife blade is .outfolded, thereby precisely locatingthe knife blade in its closed The thickness of the tangs issubstantially equal to the thickness of the `back spring so that saidtang will aid in maintaining the lining plates in properly spacedparallel relationship at the associated end of the device.

The compartment 34 is arranged to receive in infolded position aballpoint pen 54. Said compartment 34, unlike the compartment 32, whichis of full depth over its entire length, is deeply notched, as at 56, tosubstantially the back spring (see Fig. 3). The pen comprises aA hollowmetal tube 58 having female threads 60 formed at the rear open endthereof. A conical plug 62 is located at the front open end of the tube,the plug including a reduced cylindrical shoulder `64 which is tightlyfrictionally fitted into the tube. The plug is longitudinally bored toreceive a conventional ballpoint cartridge 66 with the writing tip 68thereof protruding from the apertured narrow front end of the plug 62.

The tube is screwed tightly on a male threaded stem 70 extending from abase 72 in one piece therewith. It will be observed that the base is ofgreater diameter than the stem and that there thus is provided :aperpendicular shoulder, i.e., seat 74, at the bottom of the stem whichis engaged by the rear end of the tube l58 when the same is ,screwedhome onto the stem.

Integral with the base 72 is a dat pen tang 76 pro- Ivided with anopening 78 through which a rivet 80 extends to secure the pen tang tothe frame. Said rivet projects through openings (not shown) in thelining plate. One side edge I82 of the pen tang is straight and flatlyabuts against the adjacent edge of the end 24 of the back spring thusdefining the extended position of the pen and tending to maintain itthereat. The pen tang includes a shoulder 84 at the inner end of theedge 82,

tion.

the shoulder being disposed to abut against the flat tip 86 of the end24 of the back spring (Fig. 3) thereby attording a rm support for thepen in its outfolded posi- It will be observed that in such position notonly is the pen tightly held against the back spring but the entirehandle of the knife is able to function as a comfortable holder for thepen thereby facilitating convenient writing although, Vas will be seen,both the pen and the knife frame are comparatively short.

In the same connection it is desired to point out that the tube `58 isof comparatively great diameter being indeed, yas will be seen frominspection of Figs. 4 and 5, substantially equal to the full thicknessof the knife handle, including the covers. It is for this reason thatthe notch 56 is provided that allows the pen when infolded to protrudebeyond the restricted confines of its narrow compartment 34. Thisadditional width of the tube expedites the handling of the pen forwriting.

It will be observed from inspection of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 that the pen ininfolded position with the side edge 88 of the tang against the backspring has its writing tip 68 located between the lining plates where itis protected from contact with stray `objects in a users pocket and isprevented from soiling a users clothes or hands or otherl objects thatmay be in the pocket.

The compactness of the pen-knife, the protection of the pen point ininfolded position, the ease of use of the pen in its extended position,and the ready ability to substi-t tute a new ballpoint pen unit for aused one are believed to be due in Inost part to the location of the penund `knife on opposite edges of the frame and on opposite sides of theback spring. Moreover, the particular arrangement employed to detachablysecure the ballpoint pen unit to its tang has been found to make the penunusually easy to mass produce and to make it uniquely adaptable forready replacement in the field.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a combination pocket knife andpen which achieve the various ob. jects of my invention and are Welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention andas 'various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, itis to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A combination pocket knife and pen comprising an elongated frameincluding a pair of parallel lining plates, an elongated back springlocated between said plates,

said spring extending longitudinally in a direction parallel to thelength of the frame and being disposed approximately centrally betweenthe opposite longitudinal edges of the frame, plural means securing saidspring to said lining plates, said securing means being spaced inwardlyfrom the ends of said spring whereby to leave said ends free, a knifeblade, means pivotally mounting said knife blade adjacent one end of theframe and bearing on one free end of the spring to one side of saidspring, said spring and plates defining an elongated pocket on the sideof the frame opposite from the knife blade, a tang, means pivotallymounting said tang adjacent the other end of the frame and bearing onthe other end of the spring to the opposite side thereof, a metal tube,a pen having a ball point tip located at one end of said tube and a ballpoint cartridge within the tube, associated means at the other end ofthe tube and on the tang for detachably coupling the tube and tang uponrotation of the tube whereby the tube with the ball point pen isdetachably secured to the tang, said ball point tip being narrower thanthe spring, said tube being Wider than the thickness of the frame and atthe end remote from the tang tapering to approximately the diameter ofthe ball point tip, said lining plates being notched in registry overalmost the infolded length of the ball point pen, said ball point tipbeing located in protected position in the back between the liningplates when the pen is infolded.

2. A combination pocket knife and pen as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe associated means on the tube .and

`tang for detachably coupling the same constitutes a female thread atone end of the tube and a male threaded stem on the tang.

3. A combination pocket knife and pen as set forth in claim 2 wherein aprotruding flange is provided adjacent the base of the stem for engagingthe end of the tube having the female thread therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS

